Meeting minutes: Ventura River Trail project gets moving, more
Here's a roundup of local government news:
Ventura trail project kicks off
The Ventura River Trail Improvements Project, awarded a $5 million grant in May 2022, was celebrated on Thursday with a groundbreaking.
The project to improve the paths is a partnership between the city and the California Department of Transportation under a Clean California local grant program. The work could be done by fall 2024, city officials said in a news release.
“This initiative is an example of our dedication to sustainability, recreation and fostering connections within our community,” said Mayor Joe Schroeder in a statement. “By prioritizing a greener, healthier and more accessible environment, we are actively working towards improving the well-being of our residents.”
Thursday's ceremony, which included local dignitaries wielding ceremonial shovels, was held at the Westpark Community Center on Harrison Avenue.
Improvements include repaving the city’s 1.8-mile stretch of the bike trail, installing solar lighting and improving accessibility at various parts, officials said.
The trail starts at Rex Street on the westside, runs along Highway 33 toward Ojai and connects with the Ojai Valley Trail.
For more information, visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/VenturaRiverTrail.
Moorpark OKs fee in place of affordable units
The Moorpark City Council approved a fee of nearly $4.2 million in lieu of the construction of 25 affordable-rate homes in a project from developer Pacific Communities Builder Inc.
Members voted 4-0 Wednesday in favor of the fee. Councilmember Tom Means was absent during the vote.
The Pacific Arroyo project, as it is called on a conceptual site plan, consists of 153 single-family houses and 131 detached condominiums on about 39 acres on the south side of Los Angeles Avenue, west of Leta Yancy Road, according to a city staff report.
The property is owned through three limited liability companies: MP Group LLC, Moorpark Homes LLC and CLP Investment LLC, said Principal Planner Shanna Farley before Wednesday's meeting.
The in-lieu payment will go into a fund for future affordable housing projects, Farley said. The money could finance affordable housing built by the city or another developer on a 1.6-acre section of the Pacific Communities development that will be deeded over to the city, she said. The funds could also cover a different affordable housing site.
The developer will pay the fee before any building permits are issued, Farley said.
She expects to see grading permits for the project in the next six to eight months. That work would include soil preparation, utilities, water and sewers. Vertical construction of homes might start in 2026, Farley said.
The council approved an earlier version of the project in 2017.
New county fire marshal named
Ventura County Fire Department officials said Tuesday they had chosen Joe Morelli as the agency's new fire marshal.
Morelli has served as assistant fire marshal for Huntington Beach, fire marshal for Ventura City and deputy fire marshal for Pasadena, the department said in a news release. He started his career as a firefighter in 1999, working for the Forest Service and the city of Glendale. After six years he moved into prevention, where he served in inspection, plan check and management roles.
“I am pleased to have Joe Morelli join our department as fire marshal,” Fire Chief Dustin Gardner said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience, expertise and familiarity with Ventura County to this role, which leads our efforts to keep people safe by reducing the risk of fire in our community, commercial buildings and homes.”
Morelli will oversee department staff responsible for enforcing fire codes and regulations, conducting construction plan reviews, doing home and business inspections, getting fire code permits and administering the fire hazard reduction program.
Annual salary for the position ranges from about $123,000 to $172,000, according to the county job listing.
As of Wednesday, Morelli hadn't started the new job, said Capt. Brian McGrath. Morelli will take over the post from the current fire marshal, Massoud Araghi.
Morelli is a Ventura County Leadership Academy graduate, according to the release, who at home enjoys time with his wife and four children. He also serves as a troop master with Trail Life USA, a faith-based youth development program for boys.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Meeting minutes: Ventura River Trail project gets moving, more
